arts – Page 19 – Salem Main Streets

Ice Is Nice – Especially Here in Salem

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Feb 072015

Salem has been invaded by ice creatures, but worry not, as they are friendly. Early morning joggers and breakfast attendees were greeted throughout downtown Salem by workers gently unloading and placing ice sculptures in per-determined sites as part of the Salem‘s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival.

This year there will be more than 15 large sculptures around downtown Salem, with themes including a mermaid, ruby slippers, a rocking horse, and many more! A map of sculptures and locations is available here and on brochures distributed around town.

Take the kids out and see how many you can find. Make a day of it in Salem.

Many downtown businesses will offer discounts and special offerings throughout the festival! Pick up your Golden Ticket at any of the participating businesses during the festival, have it validated at participating businesses (no purchase necessary), then enter to win a Salem’s So Sweet gift basket. A full list of participating businesses and promotions can be found here.

NOTE: due to the historical amounts of snow we have received, the Salem Trolley will not be running its route on Feb. 7 and 8 as initially planned.

After all the ice on the sidewalks and streets we’ve had to endure and groan about recently, it’s nice to see ice in a way to make you smile. The Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival runs Feb. 6-15th.

(Hint: Pikachu and Charizard in front of Harrison’s Comics & Pop Culture)

Times That Try Men’s Souls – But Salem Ma Has Several Answers

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Jan 232015

No pro football this weekend. What will you do? What will you do? You could go into a defensive stance and mope around the house. OR, you could call an audible, and go for the option of another house— that is, Salem’s House of the Seven Gables . Make it a team effort and take the entire family for a tour of this historic site.

This is their suggested game plan: “Climb the secret staircase, experience living history, and enjoy our beautiful seaside campus!You could even make it an outdoor Family Photo Safari—everyone bring your cell, camera or tablet and spend some creative time snapping photos outside on our campus. Then choose your family’s best photo and send it to us or #h7g.”

They will give away one Family Membership to the winner from all submissions!

When you explore the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, better known as The House of the Seven Gables, professional guides will lead you on a 35 minute tour that introduces two prosperous merchant families, the Turners and Ingersolls, and reveals some of the earliest Georgian-style interiors. Guests also learn about Salem’s maritime history and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s connection to this legendary home.

And then there is the Museum Store, which besides stocking memorabilia and related items, is now also carrying candy selections from two of Salem’s well-known confectioners. Harbor Sweets and The Old Pepper Company. These candy companies have a history with the city of Salem that makes them both a great fit for the Gables store.

Now through June 25th hours for the House of Seven Gables are daily 10 am-5 pm. Closed on Wednesdays from January 1 through March 29, 2015, except for February 18. For more details, call 978-744-0991. The House of Seven Gables is located at 115 Derby Street.

Winter Wonderland Tour

A bit more adventurous? May we suggest the Winter Wonderland Tour being conducted by the fine folks at the Phillips House, Saturday, January 24 from 2 -3 pm.

“Rediscover the stories and the history of historic Chestnut Street this winter during the Phillips Favorites series. Chestnut Street is even more beautiful with a coat of snow. Bundle up and join us for an architectural walking tour, ending at Phillips House with a cup of cocoa and an optional house tour. We invite our visitors to experience the Phillips House staff’s favorite tours, stories, and movies highlighting the historic Chestnut Street neighborhood during the winter season.”

There may indeed be a coat of snow! What more could you ask for?

This tour is one installment in a six-part series of events which is packaged at $50 for the general public and $20 for Historic New England members. Space may be available at individual programs with admission being $10 for the public and $5 for Historic New England members.

Tour gathers at corner of Summer and Chestnut Streets near Hamilton Hall. Registration is required; call 978-744-0440 for more details or go to www.HistoricNewEngland.org.

McAllister on the Witch House

And if you just can’t get enough of history, we’ve got one more event to share. Jim McAllister, the legend who knows the lore of Salem and the North Shore is into week #4 of “52 weeks, 52 lectures.”

While, according to Jim “The majority of these weekly talks will relate to one or more facets of North Shore history or culture, others to Paris and other important French art centers and themes,” this Saturday, Salem is front and center.

The Witch House/Corwin House, 310 Essex Street will be explored beginning at 6pm.

“An empathetic perspective on the Putnams of Salem Village, an extended family that played a major and unfortunate role in the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, and an examination of the extraordinary social, economic, personal, and political pressures that may have driven them to do so.”

Due to space limitations, reservations are required. Contact Jim at culturecorner@gmail.com or call 978-979-5907.

Don’t sit by the sidelines this weekend. Get into the game that is Salem

The Party To LAUNCH! All New Year’s Eve Parties

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Dec 292014

“To get off to a good start” and “to enter energetically” are two definitions provided at the Merriam-Webster.com website for the word launch. No wonder we picked it to describe our annual New Year’s Eve celebration here in Salem Ma, this year set for Wednesday, Dec. 31st from 4-7pm.

LAUNCH! is a family-friendly, high-energy, music-filled, kick-off for the new year. We want you to be a part of LAUNCH! Everyone is welcome. Salem resident or not. No need to drive to and then back from Boston. Come on down to Old Town Hall and Derby Square.

And yes, 4-7pm. Our balloon drops promptly at 7pm. We will have the Big Countdown a full 5 hours before everyone else — unless you are celebrating with friends, family or co-workers in Accra (Ghana), Casablanca (Morocco), Dublin (Ireland), Lisbon (Portugal), London (England) and Reykjavik (Iceland) among other global locales where it will be midnight.

“We organized LAUNCH! for the first time last year, and it was immediately clear that this needed to be an annual tradition where the community could truly come together,” states Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Manager. “Plus there’s still plenty of time after our early countdown to catch one of the many other great events happening all over town on New Year’s Eve!”

There will be New Year’s Eve related activities, crafts for kids of all ages, music by the Dejas, the OnPoint Ensemble, the Boondock Sinners, and more. This event is free of charge thanks to the support of our partners, the City of Salem, Creative Salem, the Dejas, the Gathering, LEAP for Education, and Salem YMCA.

LAUNCH! will be a great way to ring in the New Year with your entire family at a reasonable hour, and then still be able to go to other parties later (with grandma or aunt Jane watching the kids).

Plus, it’s early enough that you can make a lot of noise and the neighbors won’t mind.

Great Holidays Do Really Begin Here in Salem

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Dec 102014

Can you remember a simpler time when holiday shopping was a simple stroll through friendly hometown stores and not a race through impersonal, giant, crowded malls? We do. And we are bringing that back.

Salem Main Streets is introducing a Holiday Stroll on Saturday, Dec. 13th to encourage residents to shop local and enjoy their downtown during the holiday season. Over 40 downtown retailers have committed to staying open until 8 pm on the 13th, and most will be offering special holiday discounts, promotions, and yummy refreshments all day.

How’s that for customer appreciation and “small town” ambiance.

A full list of participating retailers is available for your use.

In keeping with our goal of this being a total community effort, Boy Scout Troop 83 will be running a gift-wrapping station on Derby Square throughout the day, and will be joined by Troop 24, which will be selling wreaths in part to benefit the restoration of the Arch on Salem Common.

And while we are promoting all things Salem for Dec. 13th, don’t miss the Pickering Wharf businesses’ Winter Walk of the Wharf, including a stroll with Santa from 1-4 pm.

But that’s not the only event we have to make your trip worth your time. To add that extra bit of spice to our holiday gift to shoppers, Main Streets is once again conducting the Salem Holiday Window Contest, which runs now thru Dec. 13th.

Over 40 downtown businesses will be participating in the annual Holiday Window Contest, and this year the public can vote on their favorites at a participating business, or online at www.salemmainstreets.org/windows. These retailers go all out to do up their windows to entertain you, and if past entries are any indications (and they are!), we have many, many creative minds— and a couple of far out ones, as you would expect from Salem, MA. A full map of participating windows can be found here. Voting ends on Dec. 13th.

And one more thing. Creative Salem is giving us an extra promotional boost (…thank you, John…) with a related photo contest. For your chance to win a Creative Salem prize pack (valued at $150) take a picture while you are strolling through town or looking at store windows. Share it on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Vine); use the hashtag #salemwindows when posting! Winner will be chosen on the 14th.

Shop, vote, take pictures, find bargains, chat with friendly sales people. All courtesy of your downtown merchants of Salem, MA.

For additional info, contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Manager, at 978-744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org.

Community Events Make Salem Perfect Holiday Destination

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Nov 282014

…And you thought Halloween was busy in Salem. Today and tomorrow we have several events to lead off the winter holiday season in style.

ART MARKET

In search of the perfect, unique little gift that says “I put some extra effort and didn’t just drive to the mall or walk into a giant department store?” Look to Old Town Hall in Derby Square where today (11/28/14) from noon to 9 pm will be an Art Market, courtesy of the Salem Collective of Artists & Musicians, the Salem Arts Association and Marrow.

There you will discover handcrafted items such as paintings, fiber arts, glass, pottery, jewelry and more. These works of art are created by local artists.

But that’s not all, later from 7-11 pm will be a Holiday Dance with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Salem Food Pantry.

HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING

It’s just a tree and some lights. But it is so much more. At approx. 6:15 pm on Nov.28th, Lappin Park becomes the focal point of the city when residents join Mayor Kimberley Driscoll in lighting Salem’s Holiday Tree.

(The Park is the grassy area next to the Bewitched Statue at the intersection of Essex Street and Washington Street— directly across from our still standing Haunted Happenings Visitor Info Booth!).

It is a holiday tradition that lights up not only the tree but the eyes of children in the crowds with awe and delight. So bring the entire family out for carols with the Paul Madore Singers; as we expect it to be a bit cool, there will also be available cocoa and snacks!

The event is organized by Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem. This year’s tree is provided in part by a donation from the MeetingHouse Church and numerous donations from Salem’s October visitors. Decorations and lights were made possible by individual contributions and donations from a number of local businesses, including Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast.

Salem Main Streets would additionally like to express appreciation to North Shore Marine and All Star Collision & Towing for their services in delivering the tree, and the Salem Department of Public Works and Gary Gill for decorating the tree.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

And you need to put presents under your own tree (if you do a tree). Can’t find what you need at the Art Market? Black Friday shopping may not help you. We suggest you widen your search zone to all of Salem. We are a small business mecca. Almost every store is owned and operated by a small business operator, not a chain. Salem is where you can walk a block in any direction and find unique items for men, women, children and pets.

Saturday, Nov. 29^th is Small Business Saturday, a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities. To encourage Salem residents to “Shop Local First” this holiday season, Mayor Driscoll has announced that parking in Salem will be free on November 29th in both municipal garages and on Washington, Front and Essex Streets. On November 30th all parking will be free, including at all meters, in both municipal garages, and in all municipal surface lots.

You can drive to the malls, park half a football field away from the stores, and once inside feel like you are on a treadmill forced to walk with the flows of the crowds. Or come to Salem, find convenient parking, and walk whatever way you feel to stores or restaurants. It’s your choice. Really, it’s your choice.

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